JORDAN - Surrounded by a swath of Secret Service agents, presidential candidates Barack Obama, John McCain, Bob Barr and Ralph Nader and their running mates delivered their closing messages to Jordan-Elbridge High School voters on Monday.

Of course, with the real politicians zig-zagging across the country in the waning hours of the campaign, students had to take their place, standing before the entire high school student body in the auditorium, articulating their respective platforms one final time before placing the election squarely in the hands of voters.

Well, mock election and student voters.

While the majority of students are not old enough to vote today, the Jordan-Elbridge High School Social Studies Department ensured that those that can't choose a candidate still have a voice.

Over the past month, 18 students auditioned in front of about 175 of their peers, each campaigning for the political parties' respective presidential nominations. After weeks of primaries, caucuses, stumping and advertising, the high school student body will go to the polls throughout the day to choose the next president.

“Tomorrow, America will make a decision,” social studies teacher Windsor Price said before turning the microphone to Alex Suslik, portraying Libertarian Vice Presidential Candidate Wayne Allen Root, “and so will Jordan-Elbridge.”

The high school has been holding mock elections since 1988, social studies teacher Roger Roman said. The brainchild of retired teacher Kathy McLane, students participate in the electoral process from the beginning, from soliciting signatures for petitions and winning presidential nominations to selecting running mates and the general election.

“We wanted to engage the kids in the political process somehow,” Roman said as he finished hanging political posters across the auditorium.

That has certainly been done for McCain, who usually goes by Elliot Kline, 17, of Jordan.

“I'm definitely more knowledgeable of the government now,” he said. “Before this I didn't really care and now I have a general idea of what my views are.”

Reed Johnson, 17, of Jordan, spent the past month as Libertarian candidate Bob Barr. A stalwart Democrat, Johnson said learning the Libertarian platform was interesting and gave him a different perspective.

All of the candidates said they enjoyed the experience and it made them more aware of the political process. And that, Roman said, is crucial.

“If these kids are smiling and enjoying any part of the learning process, then you've got it, you've nailed it,” he said. “It's valuable and they'll remember it for the rest of their lives.”

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net